Tractor for semitrailers and the like



Feb. 16, 1954 ATCEUEN I 2,669,317

TRACTOR FOR SEMITRAILERS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 4, 1951 FWMO D A. CELIEN ATT'Y Patented Feb. 16, 1954 TRACTOR FOR SEMITRAILERS AND THE LIKE Raymond A. Celien,

Denver, Colo., assignor to The American Coleman Company, Omaha, N ebr., a corporation of Nebraska Application October 4, 1951, Serial No. 249,665

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a traction vehicle and more particularly to an automotive type tractor adapted for maneuvering semi-trailers in congested areas.

A substantial portion of themotor freight in the United States is hauled by truck type trailers having a fifth wheel mounted horizontally on the rear. portion of the tractor frame for supporting engagement with a corresponding member mounted on the lower surface of a semi-trailer unit. The conventional semi-trailer unit generally consists of an elongated windowless body, having road wheels supporting the rear portion of the vehicle and auxiliary wheels under the forward portion of the body for supporting the semi-trailer when not attached to a tractor. The tractors utilized in hauling the semi-trailer along the highway, herein termed road tractor, are conventionally short, powerful, heavy, and relatively expensive vehicles having an operators cab including doors, windows, and the like, which protect the operator from the weather, but which also at least partially obscure the operators vision to the rear, this being partially objectionable when attempting to back a semi-trailer into a parking space.

During loading and unloading operations a number of semi-trailers are frequently parked in the yard and ordinarily will be moved several times before the operation is completed. Conventionally, road tractors are employed for this purpose, but this is not considered desirable since it not only ties-up expensive equipment, but it also is inefiicient in that the road-tractors are not well suited to the operation.

A primary object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive, highly maneuverable automotive type tractor particularly suited for parking semitrailers in a predetermined location in a yard or the like, and for hauling such vehicles over such short distances, which offers a maximum range of vision to the operator and which permits the operator to glance rearwardly along the left side of a semi-trailer without inconvenience.

A further object of my invention is to provide a cabless vehicle of the type described incorporating a novel and advantageous arrangement of the operators seat, controls, and engine, all arranged in such a manner as to provide maximum maneuverability and vision.

Other important objects of my invention will be disclosed in the course of the following description and in,.the appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of my device coupled to a semi-trailer and;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device illustrated in Fig.1.

My vehicle includes a relatively short, heavy frame ll of generally rectangular configuration, having rear wheels 12 mounted on the conven-- tional rear axle (not shown) and front wheels l3 also of conventional design, the latter being, coupled for steering movement to a steering wheel [4. A fifth wheel device [6 is disposed above the rear wheels l2 for pivot supporting engagement with a corresponding member on lower surface of the forward portion of a semi-trailer body l1.

Auxiliary body support wheels l8 are secured to lower surface of the semi-trailer body I! immediately. to the rear of the fifth wheel device [6.

A right front fender l9 and a left front fender 2| extend over the right and left front wheels l3, respectively, the fenders being relatively heavy and secured to the frame II. An engine (not shown) is supported by the frame I I between the left and right front fenders I 9 and 21 in conventional manner for driving at least the rear wheels I 2, and is covered by a hood 22 which extends upwardly only a short distance above the level of the fenders I9 and 2|. An operators seat generally designated 23 includes a seat portion 24 and a back 26 each secured to the other and mounted on the upper surface of the left front fender 2! with the forward portion of the seat 24 approximately above the center of the left front wheel l3. A curved rail 21 is secured to the seat 23 and extends laterally outward therefrom to the left. The outermost portion of the rail 2! should be disposed approximately in a plane including the left side of the semi-trailer body ll when in alignment with my tractor, the outer edge of "the seat portion 24 being disposed not more than 12" inwardly from the rail. A foot rest 28 extends forwardly and upwardly from the left front fender 2| into engagement with a dash and windshield 29 which projects upwardly and rearwardly from the forward extremity of the foot rest 28. A horizontal step 3| is secured to the forward lower extremity of the left front fender 2| below the level of the foot rest 28. The various engine and vehicle controls and accessories are disposed as indicated in conventional manner. In most instances the rear wheels l2 will be of the dual-type mounting a total of four axially aligned wheels on the rear axle. The distance between the extremities of these wheels should be the maximum width of my vehicle and should correspond approximately with the width of the semi-trailer body I 1. The upper extremity of and can lean to the" left against In the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the vehicle herein described may utilize an exceptionally short wheel base and a small turning radius,*making"it highly In addition, since it is not re-'" maneuverable.

quired to move heavy loads in;.high,speeds along the highway, the engine employed as well as the power train connecting the engine to the wheels may be substantially lighter than that ordinarily employed in roadutractors; Theaeliminationyof the cab not only provides the operator rwithif.

clearer, improved vision, :butxalsosnaturally {reduces the cost of tractor; construction;-

I claim:

1. .A tractor for hauling semi-trailers "and the; like; comprising. a generally: rectangular. frame, 1 a fifth wheel on the 'rea-r. portionrofzthe frame: for engagementiwith the :correspondingamember on. a semi-trailenitfront and rear 1 road: wheels on: the frame, saidi-rearaaroadiwheels. defining a maximum tractor width approximately equal to the width 'of said-semFtrailer, left-and" right:-

front fenders on the" frame 1-. over the: front: road:

wheels, an operator's station including l8 seat on the upper surface of the: left frontefender, :said

station being open onithe 'topzand ron't'hree sides ,1 and closed'by a frontrwalhcontaining. a wind+ shield, whereby the" operator is 1 afforded unobfstructed' vision on the .open' sides and ,top and within the limits definedt'by'the':windshield; an

outwardly projecting. guard 'z-rail alongit'hewouterr side'of the drivers seat, theoutenextremity of t said'rail being approximatelymin thersamevertia cal plane as'thefouter extremity of theileftrear" road Wheel, ,ansoperatofis foot restrtsecured'atoi the left front fender-"below the operators seatu and projecting forwardly and upwardlyi therefrom, operatin'g'iacontrols '1 including: steering, clutch, brake and: throttle controls projecting upwardly through the foot trest towardsthe (op.-

erators "station, a stepv secured'atzthe left:front:; fender below the' footrestand anaenginexhood' between said fenders, :said': hood-also being dis-m posed betweenthe: innertside' of i-saidseat and said rightJfender and having tits 1 upper eXtrem-ity disposed below the linerof vision "of an operator; seated in theoperator s'seat; said upper-extremity of the hood being: approximately at *th'eqlevel I of: said guard rail;

2. A tractor'for hauling semi-trailers and the like, comprising a generally 'rectangular:frame;

a fifth wheel on the rear": portion ofz'stheiframe; f or' engagement with: the; corresponding: member: on: a semi-trailer, front" and: 'rearz'roa'dvwheelsi on the frame, "said rearnroadwheels defining: a maximum tractor width approximately equal to the width of said semi-trailer, left andvright:

4 front fenders on the frame over the front road wheels, an operators station including a seat on the upper surface of the left front fender, said station being open on the top and On three sides and closed by a front wall containing a windshield, whereby the operator is afforded unobstructedr vision: on. the open "sides and: top and within the limits defined'by the windshield, the outer extremity of said seat being approximately inthe same vertical plane as the outer extremity ofythewlefterear road wheel, an operators foot rest i-secured to the left front fender below the operators seat and. projecting forwardly and upwardly .theref-romrpperating controls including'steering;clutch,lbrake and throttle controls on a semi-trailer, front on theframe, said rear rOad-Wheelsdefining a maximum tractor width front fenders on the frame overthe front road' wheels, an operators stationincluding a seat on" the upper surface of theleft 'front-fender, said station being open'on the top and onrthree-sides' and closed by'a front wall-"containing a windshield, whereby theoperator is afforded unob structed vision on the open sides and top andwithin'thelimits defined by the windshield, an outwardly projecting guard-rail along side of -the"drivers seat; theouterextremity' of said rail being approximately in the same :vertical plane as the outer extremity" of thezleft rear road wheel, an operators foot ,restsecured to the left frontfender below the operatorsseat .and

projecting forwardly and upwardlyftherefrom, clutch,

operating controls including steering, brake and i throttle controls .proj ecting upwardly through the: footrestztowardsfthe operators station, and an enginehoodbetween said fenders,

said-hood also being disposed". betweenthe inner side of said seatsandtsaid right fender and having its :upper extremity disposed below; the line:

of vision'ofan: operator seated: in the operators seat, said upper-extremity of-thehood being:

approximately at thBTlGVGlifOf saidguard: rail.

RAYMOND A. 'CELIEN.

References-Cited in. the file of this. patent UNITED "STATES" PATENTS Number Name Date 1,005,065.? Parrish Oct. 3, 1 1,153,223, Huschle; Oct. 26, 1 15' 2,249,356. Gojodmanwwf ,July 15, 1 41 2,295,769 Zeilman Sept; 15,1942 2,311,941 Gustafson -,.Feb.j23,11943 2,4:51400 Roosr Dec. 28, 1 4

rectangular: frame, 1 1 a fifthwheel-- on the rear portion ofthe frame forengagementwith the corresponding member and rear road wheels-l approximately 5 equal to. the width of said semi trailer, left and right the outer 

